On April 5th, Hyundai revealed their all new Kona Electric. This is the newest offering in the compact SUV EV segment, so are Tesla falling behind?
On April 5th 2023 at the New York International Auto Show, Hyundai revealed their all-new Kona. The car will be released in Electric, Limited and N Line models and is positioned as an upscaled multiplayer in the small SUV segment.
It’s no secret that Hyundai’s design department is on top form right now, and the brand seems to be coming into its own in terms of design identity. While the Kona is arguably the most attractive car in this segment at the moment, the compact crossover’s upgrades will be more than just skin deep.
With all the new electric cars on the market, this could spell disaster for EV giant, Tesla. It is becoming apparent that there is a gap in Tesla’s lineup, notably a smaller SUV. There are rumors of a Tesla compact EV, which is set to be smaller than the Model 3. Yet, while Tesla are working away on it, Hyundai are already on their second gen model in this space.
The Hyundai Kona second gen is set to be a groundbreaking release. Here’s why it’s the compact EV Tesla wishes they’d made.
The Hyundai Kona Is Cheaper Than A Tesla
For many consumers, price is an important factor when buying a car. And the simple fact is that Tesla’s are pricey. One of the many things the Kona has going for it is that it’s quite affordable compared to other EV’s on the market. What’s even better is that despite being a more affordable alternative, you aren’t missing out on features.
A feature that comes as a surprise in the new Kona is over-the-air updates (OTA). This is the ability to wirelessly transmit software updates, just like a smartphone. Tesla was the first to introduce this, but a few car brands, such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus have begun to incorporate it into their systems. Up until now, it’s a feature that has been reserved for luxury brands and more expensive EV’s. Tesla has notoriously used OTA’s for gimmicks such as adding fart noises and video games, but OTA’s do have lots of practical uses. They can actually be a vital way to add new features and fix bugs that replace and even surpass mechanical repairs. Hyundai officials said OTA software updates on the Kona will allow for “a convenient, upgradable experience” where owners will receive new features, firmware upgrades, maps and multimedia applications wirelessly and without having to visit a dealer.
The Kona Electric also comes equipped with all the features you would expect to see in a modern car. Including Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, three USB ports, a six-speaker stereo, satellite radio, HD Radio, automatic climate control, and proximity keyless entry.
So with all new features that are comparable to more luxury brands of car, what can consumers expect to pay for the Kona? Hyundai has said that the electric car will start at a pretty reasonable $33,550 for the SE trim and goes up to about $41,500 for the Limited version. Whereas Tesla’s cheapest offering (the Model 3) will set you back a whopping $42,990 with no upgrades and you could be looking at up to $72,490 with upgrades and long range.
The Hyundai Kona Is Practical
On top of all its other perks, the Kona is incredibly practical. Starting with the interior, the car comes with a user-friendly infotainment system, which is more than we can say for a Tesla. The Kona comes with an 8.0 inch touchscreen as standard, but can be upgraded to a 10.3 inch touchscreen in higher end models. The physical buttons that are easy to read and reach makes the whole infotainment system a breeze to navigate. We can’t say the interior is the most exciting you will see, but it is comfortable and practical.For newcomers to the EV space, the thought of having to stop and charge your car is quite daunting. But the range of the 2023 Kona Electric is impressive. However, on paper, the Model 3 has a better range. In the basic RWD trim the Tesla can drive up to 272 miles on a single charge. The Kona EV, on the other hand, has a range of 258 miles in all three trims. The extra 14 miles isn’t something you should be worried about, especially when you pay about $10,000 less for the Kona Electric. It’s also worth noting that back in 2020, the Kona Electric managed to set an EV range record, running more than 630 miles on a single charge. Charging is also a breeze in the Kona as the port is at the front of the car, meaning you can charge it easily, even in busy places. On the topic of charging, when using a 100 kW direct current (DC) fast-charger station, the Kona EV needs about 47 minutes to recharge its battery from 10 to 80 percent.
Consumers Want Compact SUVs
Compact SUVs are popular in today’s car market. Which is why it’s such a shock that a brand as large and forward-thinking as Tesla don’t yet have an offering in this space. The issue Tesla faces now is that they may have missed the boat as consumers have so many options.
Compact SUVs are an excellent option if you are looking for something that feels zippy, but still has the height to give better visibility. The extra space inside for comfort and the option of having 4WD or AWD functions are an added bonus!
With this in mind, we imagine Tesla must be kicking themselves for not making a compact SUV much sooner.
